Metro service improving after SafeTrack, says Metro

Metro is giving itself a better report card. The agency says its customers are experiencing fewer train offloads, better on-time performance, and fewer unscheduled delays as a result of new railcars, improved maintenance programs, and schedule enhancements.

“Our customers will determine when we are ultimately back to good, but I am confident we are on the way,” said General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Paul J. Wiedefeld. “I am very proud of the thousands of Metro employees who are working day and night to improve safety and service for our customers.”

The SafeTrack emergency maintenance program wound up in June, and Wiedefeld says Metro customers have seen improvements in Metrorail service reliability since then. In August, 89 percent of trips (13.6 million trips) arrived on time based on actual customer “tap in/tap out” travel time data. Metro credits the accelerated delivery of popular 7000-series railcars—combined with the retirement of all 1000- and 4000-series railcars months ahead of schedule, fewer track delays, improved railcar maintenance and recent schedule adjustments—with helping to keep customers on time.

Metro’s railcar “Get Well” program — an intensive maintenance program to address issues with the system’s “legacy” fleets — along with unprecedented infrastructure rebuilding under SafeTrack and an aggressive new preventive maintenance plan for infrastructure, have all contributed to reductions in delays, according to Metro. In addition, Metro is testing new methods to address the issue of water infiltration on a historically troublesome stretch of the Red Line.

During the first seven months of this year, compared to the same period last year Metro said:

Railcar reliability is up more than 50 percent

Offloads are down 40 percent

Fire and smoke incidents are down 20 percent

Arcing incidents are down 11 percent

Metro also reported significant improvement in on-board passenger comfort and a steep decline in “hot cars,” with HVAC systems performing nearly 60 percent better in July 2017 compared to July 2016.

On Metrobus, new schedules and the increased use of technology are keeping buses on time more of the time, with 80 percent of customer trips on schedule in July. Metro continues to receive 100 new buses each year to replace the oldest, least reliable buses in the fleet with cleaner, more fuel-efficient models that travel thousands more miles between breakdowns.

For customers with disabilities, MetroAccess is currently taking delivery of 207 new paratransit vans, allowing older vehicles to be retired while also expanding the fleet by 50 vehicles (7 percent). Metro last week announced a pilot program to provide more travel options for MetroAccess customers and reduce overall program expense to Metro by enabling customers in Maryland to use selected private taxi services instead of MetroAccess.

Metro service satisfaction

Metro customers report their satisfaction and overall experience is at the highest rate in two and a half years, with 72 percent of respondents noting that Metro rail and bus service is “getting better,” the Metro report said. Meanwhile, rail ridership, which had been declining due to emergency maintenance and a variety of other external factors, finally appears to be stabilizing.

Metro is also reporting improvements in safety and security. Major crime on Metro is down 20 percent in the first seven months of 2017, as Metro Transit Police have become more visible with new uniforms, stepped up fare enforcement, and deployed thousands of new digital cameras throughout the system help to quickly solve crimes.

To improve customers’ experience and enhance safety, Metro is advancing several projects:

Wi-Fi service is expanding to 30 underground stations by the end of the year.

Cell phone service is now available in tunnel segments on parts of the Red Line and Orange, Blue and Silver lines between Metro Center and Stadium-Armory. Additional tunnel segments are being wired now.

Stations are cleaner and brighter as a result of initiatives to upgrade lighting and more frequent cleaning.

Metro’s turnaround has been driven by the largest-ever annual capital investment in the system. The record $1.16 billion in capital spent last fiscal year, including $700 million in federal grant reimbursements, led to improved track infrastructure, railcar reliability and escalator performance. Each month, another 20 new 7000-series railcars arrive, with 50 of the new 7000-series trains (400 railcars) now in service.

“Metro is clearly on a path to improving service for customers, and we are committed to continuing the progress,” Wiedefeld said.